Taco Maker to invest $1.5M annually in local beef

For more than a year, FransGlobal tested the beef produced at the Emprosur plant in Coamo to various taste and cooking tests.

The owners of the Taco Maker franchise in Puerto Rico, FransGlobal, announced this week its decision to buy the more than 50,000 pounds of beef consumed monthly at its 90 local restaurants from island farmers, representing an annual investment of some $1.5 million.

With the support of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, the company becomes the first local franchise to incorporate 100 percent local beef, said Carlos Budet, president of FransGlobal.

“We are a chain that’s highly committed with our [island] and we will do everything in our power so that our ingredients, characterized by their freshness and flavor, are produced locally,” he said. “Although we have a business vision that transcends borders, our primary market is Puerto Rico and our commitment is to our island.”

For more than a year, FransGlobal tested the beef produced at the Emprosur plant in Coamo to various taste and cooking tests. The volumes of meat purchased will increase as FransGlobal continues with its growth plans, said Budet

Taco Maker, with a history of nearly 40 years on the island, has 90 restaurants now and has plans to open another 15 in the next four years. The chain generates about 1,275 direct jobs in Puerto Rico. FransGlobal also operates the Origami, Marco’s Pizza and Taco Maker Mexican Grill chains in Puerto Rico. Together they operate about 100 restaurants in and generate 1,500 jobs.